Governor



May 17, 1938. I A. KALIN 2,117,891

4 GOVERNOR Filed June 17, 19:55 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 17, 1938.

A. KALIN GOVERNOR Filed June 17, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. KALIN GOVERNOR May 17,1938.

4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 17, 1935 2.9M. so 950 M50 use 4250 50 I450 az 0.3 44 0.: as 0.7 0.8 0.9

May 17, 1938.

A. KALIN GOVEIKRNOR Filed June 17, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIIIIIII Patented May 17, 1938 6 UNITED STATES GOVERNOR Albert Kalin, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Woodward Governor Company, Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 17,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to speed governors for prime movers in power plants.

'The conventional type 'of fly-ball governors, dueto their faulty design andconstruction, have not given satisfactory speed regulation. For one thing, these earlier governors have not been constructed so that the speed weighing or fly-ballelements would respond the same amount for any given percentage of speed change over the entire range of operating speeds. It is the principal object of my invention to provide what I call a is obtained by graduating the pitch of the turns and the diameter of the coiling so that as the loading on the spring is increased, the large diameter turns progressively completely -close, thereby causing the spring modulus to increase in proportion to the deflection. By graduating the diameter of coiling, the modulus is caused to .change gradually in proportion to the deflection. The novel characteristics of this spring make for better regulation with this governor because the changing modulus of the spring counteracts or oifsets the change in centrifugal force of the flyballs as they move outwardly due to load rejection, and inwardly due to load application.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in 'which 1 Figure l is a longitudinal Section through agovernor made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. ,2 is a diagrammatic drawing of the gov-' Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring first to Figures 1-5 and Figures 1 and 2 in particular, the coupling 8 serves to connect the Cal 1935,- Serial No. 27,037

governor 9 to the prime mover, the speed of which is to be regulated. The'clevis to on the end of the rod II of the power piston l2 will be suitably connected to open or close the throttle of the engine, namely, the aforesaid prime mover. 'The governbr comprises a main body l3 mounted on a base It suitably supported on the prime mover. A shaft l5 extends from the coupling 8 through a bearing and grease retainer in the base it into the body I 3 where it is splined to the drive gear l6 of a gear pump,'the companion gear of which is numbered II. A long bushing l8 extending the full length of the body 13 and rotatable in the central longitudinal bore l9 thereof is fixed to the hub of the gear l6, as at 20, so as to be driven by the shaft l5. The bushing l8 has a longitudinal bore 2| which terminates in 9. cylinder 22 formed in the lower end of the bushing. A sleeve 23 forms a closure for the lower end of the cylinder 22 and is fixed to the bushing I8, as at 24. A pilot valve bushing 25 is slidable lengthwise in the bore 2| and is arranged to turn with the bushing I8 relative to the pilot valve plunger 26 which fits in the bushing 25. The pilot valve plunger 26 is non-rotatable alongwith the speeder spring 21 which seats on the collar 28 that is clamped by a nut 29 threading on the upper end of the plunger 26. The inner race of a ball bearing 38 is clamped to the plunger 26 by the collar 28, the outer race of the bearing being arranged to turn with the yoke 3i of the flyball mechanism. Each of the fly balls 32 in this governor is formed by two nuts threading on one arm of a bell crank lever 33 pivoted at 34 on the yoke 3|. The other arm of the lever bears against theouter race of the bearing 30, as shown. The yoke 3| is suitably fixed on the reduced upper end 35 of the bushing 18. The fly-ball mechanism is housed within the casing 36 mounted on the body l3 of the governor. The fly-balls 32 move outwardly under centrifugal force in the turning of the bushing l8 with the shaft l5 but are urged inwardly by the spring 21 to a greater or less extent, depending upon the position of the adjustable abutment for the spring indicated at 31. A screw plug 38 is adjusted in the initial mbling of the governor to place the spring 21 under a predetermined compression, and thereafter the governor is arranged to be adjusted in operation by movement of the abutment 31-by the turning of a pinion 39.which meshes with rack teeth 40 provided in one side of the abutment 31. The pinion 39, as will presently appear, may be operated directly by hand or by remote control. It is manifest that when the fly-balls 32 move outwardly, the pilot valve plunger 25 is raised. Inasmuch as such outward movement denotes an increase in speed, it is apparent that the up-- ward movement of the pilot valve plunger 25.

must, accordingly, efiect such movement of the power piston I2 as will result in lessening the speed of the prime mover. Conversely down ward movement of the pilot valve plunger 25 caused by a decrease in speed must cause the reverse movement of the piston l2 so as to increase the speed of the prime mover back to normal. Such operation is secured, as will now be described.

The gear pump l6i1 has the discharge side thereof communicating with the pressure port 4i through an accumulator 42, as indicated in Fig. 2. The latter has a piston 43 actuated by a spring 44 constantly by-passing oil through the port 45 to the sump S so 'as to maintain a rela: tively constant-pressure at 4i. The pilot valve bushing 25 and plunger are normally in centered relation with the ports 45 in the bushing covered by the cylindrical enlargement 41 of.

the plunger. However, let us assume that a certain percentage of the load is dropped from the prime mover and that the latter accordingly speeds up and the fly-balls 32 .move outwardly a distance proportionate to the speed change. The outward movement of the fly-balls forces the pilot valve plunger 25 upwardly a proportionate distance against the restraint of the speeder spring 21. The parts 45 are accordingly uncovered, opening communication between the port 43 in the bushing l8 and another port 49 in the bushing, whereby to allow the discharge of oil from the cylinder 50 from in front of the powerpiston i2 to the sump. The power piston l2 acv sating plunger 53 and the pilot valve bushing :25 is accordingly moved upwardly by the receiving compensating plunger 54, which works in the cylinder 22 in the bushing II. The upward movement of the plunger 54 is against the action of a double-acting spring 55 received in the'sleeve 23 between two collets'55 and 51 slidably mounted on the reduced end of the pilot valve bushing 25. Th collet 56 bottoms on the shouldered end of the leeve 23 to resist the upward movement of the bushing 25 just described. The collet 51 bottoms on the adjacent end of the hub of the gear Hi to resist downward movement of the bushing 25. In the upward movement of the pilot valve bushing 25, because of the suction created in the cylinder 52, oil is drawn from the sump S through the passage 55 past an adjustable compensating needle valve 55, whereby to relieve the suction and also allow the compensating spring 55 to re-center the plunger 54. As the power piston I2 continues to move, the pilot valve bushing 25 moves upwardly until theports stopped and the movement of the piston i2 will accordingly be stopped. It the ratio of move- 1 ment' of the governor parts is correct, the fuel delivery to the primemover will have been re- Now, the

ducedjust the amount necessary to accommodate the reduced load and the speed will-accordingly have returned to normal. It is only necessary, therefore, to keep this piston i2 stationary until the speed returns to normal or a subsequent speed change occurs. returns to normal, the fly-balls 32 will, of course, also return to their normal position and the pilot valve plunger 26 will return to its initial position. If the power piston i2 is to be kept As the prime mover speed 1 stationary, the ports in the pilot valvebushing the return of the prime mover speed to normal.

Once the valve 59 has been adjusted to the response of the particular prime-mover, it need not be adjusted again. All of the operating parts at the end of the cycle will accordingly be in the same position as before and only the power piston i2 will'be shifted to a position corresponding to the reduced load on the prime mover.

The cycle of operation for an increase in load is simply the reverse of what has just been described. The iiy-balls 32 move inwardly and the speeder spring 21 accordingly moves the pilot valve plunger 25 downwardly, uncovering the ports 45'and opening communication between the pressure port 4i and the cylinder 50,\thus causing the power piston i2 to be moved in the opposite direction against the action of its spring This movement of the power piston results in the creation of pressure in the cylinder 52 by reason oi! the movement of the actuating'compensating plunger 53, and the receiving compensating plunger 54 is accordingly forced downwardly and moves the pilot valve bushing downwardly until the ports 45 are covered by the portion 41 'ot'the pilot valve plunger." The power piston i2 stops at the proper position to correspond to the increased load on the prime mover. and the prime mover accordingly begins to return to its normal speed, thus causing the fly-balls '32 to move outwardly to their normal position, forcing the pilot valve plunger 25 upwardly toward its normal position. The compensating spring 55 re-centers the receiving compensating plunger 54 and pilot valve bushing 25 in exact unison with the return of the speed to-normal by forcing the oil out to the sump past the needle valve 59. In that way,

all of the operating parts resume their normal position and the power piston occupies a new position corresponding to the increased load.

It will be seen that I have provided a governor in which no levers are required in the regulating system and all of. the regulating parts are on a common axis. The fact that the principal regulating parts, namely, the pilot valve bushing Y25 and plunger 25, have relative rotation therebetween, the plunger being non-rotatable and fitting in the rotatable bushing, makes for greater sensitivity of regulation because'sliding friction is thereby reduced to a minimum. Hunting is accordingly also avoided, although. that is eliminated principally because of the novel self-centering action of the bushing with respect to the plunger.

- wardly, horizontally, or otherwise.

spectively, are provided in a separate body l3a arranged to be bolted to the body l3 in any one of a number of'posi'tions of angular adjustment of the body I3a with respect to the body I3 accordingly asthe particular engine may require the extension of the rod ll downwardly, up-

The body l3a is adjustable about the sump portion 49' as a center, and there are two annular grooves 60 and BI formed in the abutting faces of the'bodies l3 and |3a with this port 49' as a center. The sump S is formed by a chamber in the body l3 with which the port 49' communicates and the port '49 in the bushing also communicates through an opening 62. A passage 63 is cored in the body i3 to provide communication. between the inner groove 60 and the cylinder 22, and inasmuch as the cylinder 52 communicates with the registering groove in the body i3a, it is apparent that communication is established between the cylinders 22 and 52 in any position of angular adjustment of the body I311. In a similar manner, communication is established between the cylinder 50 and the port 48 in the bushing I8 through a passage 54 cored in the body l3 and communicating with the outer groove 6|, the cylinder 50 having communication with the registering outer groove in the body l3a through a passage indicated in dotted lines at 65.

The speed adjustment for the governor is'illustrated in Fig. 6 and comprises a manually rotatable knob 66 which turns a gear 61 arranged to operate the pinion 39 through intermediate gearing indicated at 68. A Selsyn motor 69 has a gearing connection with the shaft 10 extending past the spring abutment '31 on the opposite side from the pinion 39 and connected through other gearing, indicated at H, with the gearing 68, whereby to turn the pinion 39 by remote control, it being understood that the Selsyn motor may be operated by the operator turning a controller at some remote point to obtain the same results so far as turning the pinion 39 is concerned as if the operator were to turn the knob 66 and thereby directly operate the speed adjustment mechanism. 7

The speeder spring 21 is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and is one of the principal factors in obtaining better regulation with the present governor. I have named this spring a trumpet spring because of its trumpet-like shape, the one end b thereof being enlarged in a taper from the cylindrical portion 0. This spring is so designed that for each given percentage of speed change it will allow the fly-balls 32 to move the same distance regardlessof the base speed from which the increase. occurs. In other words, the spring deflection is proportional to the square root of the deflecting force, thereby producing a relationship between loading and deflection of exactly the same nature as the relationship between centrifugal force and speed; The curves shown in Fig. 5 show the characteristics of this spring. The full line curve is plotted from spring loading against deflection and the dotted curve is plotted from fly-ball effort in pounds against speed of rotation. It will be noted that the two curves are parallel over a wide range; Therefore, if spring deflection is plotted against governor speed of rotation, a straight line results. I obtain these I highly desirable characteristics in this spring by graduating the pitch of the turns and the diameter of the coiling in the flared portion b. Thus, as the loading on the spring is increased, these large diameter turns progressively close up, as

the gears l6 and H in the other governor. operation of this governor is substantially the indicated in Fig. 4, thereby causing the spring modulus to increase in proportion to the deflection. By graduating the diameter of coiling, the modulus is caused to change gradually in proportion to the deflection. The changing modulus makes for better regulation in that it counteracts the change in centrifugal force of the flyballs as they move outwardly due to load rejection and inwardly due to load application. The trumpet-shape is. also highly desirable from. the standpoint of simplified design and manufacture of the governor. It will be observed in Fig.1, for. example, what a compact construction is obtainable using this spring. Furthermore, the

terchangeable, larger balls. being used for slower I speeds. The fiy-balls are, of course, provided of the proper weight to suit the specifications of the engine for which the governor is intended, and will be adjusted at the factory of the governor manufacturer to provide for proper performance of the governor in accordance with the characteristics of the engine to which the governor is to be applied.

The governor shown in Fig. 7 is quite similarv to the one previously described since it incorporates a speeder spring 21' having the same characteristics as the spring 21, and has provision for relative rotation between the bushing 25' and plunger 26' of the pilot valve; The bushing 25' and plunger 26' in this constructionare differently related to the rest of the governor, the

bushing 25 in this case being driven with the speeder mechanism through a connection at I6 with the speeder yoke 3|, and the plunger 26' being non-rotatable but reciprocable with respect to the body I3 of the governor. The effect produced so far as reducing friction and making for greater sensitivity, and hence better regulation, is, however, substantially the same, except that somewhat less friction is involved in the rotation of the bushing 25' between the relatively stationary body l3 and plunger 26'. In this form of governor, the longbushing l8 forming a driving connection between the shaft I5 and the speeder yoke 3|, as well as a housing for the pilot valve plunger and bushing, is eliminated, the driving connection in this case being afforded by a jack shaft I1 having a gear 18 at one end meshing with'the gear. IS on the shaft l5, and another gear 19 at the other end meshing with gear teeth 80 on the speeder yoke 3|. The gears l6 and Bil-together form a gear pump similarly as The same as that of the other governor, the control rod Il' responding to movements of. the fly-balls 32 in the same manner that the rod ll responds to movements of the fly-balls 32.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of all of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn so as to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations. 4

spring of trumpet shape having the turns at the flared end of gradually decreased pitch and ar- 5 ranged to close upon one another progressively as the compressive loading on the spring is increased, whereby to increase the modulus of said spring in proportion to the deflection. I

2. A coiled compression spring having end 10 turns of gradually decreased pitch and gradual]? increased diameter, said turns being so arranged whereby they close progressively inwardly from the large end uponcompressive loading so that p modulus increases in proportion t the V 15 deflection.

-3. In a fly-ball governor, a coiled speeder spring of trumpet shape coiled from material of 1 spring in proportion to the deflection.

4. A-coiled compression spring coiled from material oLuniform cross-section and having end turns of gradually decreased pitch and gradually increased diameter, said turns being so arranged whereby they close progressively inwardly from the large end upon compressive loading so that the spring modulus increases in proportion to the deflection. 

